SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Some parts of the country had swarms of cicadas this summer. Here in KELOLAND they could be a sign of an early frost.
There are several wives tales that are used to predict weather. Some people say the width of the middle band on a woolly caterpillar can indicate the severity of the upcoming winter.
It’s also said that 90 days after fog there’s rain or snow.
A couple of lesser-known wife’s tales involve cicadas. If you hear them, some people say there’s going to be dry weather, and 6 weeks after cicadas chirp you may have the first frost.
I noticed cicadas a week ago. So adding five weeks, puts us at an August 23rd frost, which is a little earlier than average.
When you look at data gathered by SDSU Extension from 1991 to 2020, of low temperatures falling below 28 degrees,
The top 10% earliest frosts come between September 7th, which you can see in dark purple, to the first week of October, which is dark green.
The latest 10% of first frosts come the second week of October, in dark purple, to the first week of November, in dark green.
But on average the first frost comes between the last week in September and the third week of October.
So hopefully this old wive’s tale does not prove to be true this year.
